


Emerald Flames

by FairyRave



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Black Family (Harry Potter), Brotherly Love, Brotherly Relationship(s), Dora is an adorable little girl, Family, Family Angst, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Horcruxes, Marauders era, More tags later, No Incest, Regulus Black Lives, most likely
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2018-09-12 20:39:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9089890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyRave/pseuds/FairyRave
Summary: Life is a strange thing. A child could be born full of potential to face the world that lay before them. They would go through life and see the world through wondrous eyes. They could take the world like a storm than cater their own history as time goes on. Or a child could grow to make their own story from the shadows than turned into a forgotten part of history. The untold legacies that are left within either a few or left the world along with their makers.Though, even hidden stories could sometimes be revealed again.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to say thank-you to  
> [The_Yellow_Pen ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Yellow_Pen) for being my Beta in checking my somewhat messy grammar. ^^

**~^*^~**  

Life is a strange thing. A child could be born full of potential to face the world that lay before them. They would go through life and see the world through wondrous eyes. They could take the world like a storm than cater their own history as time goes on. Or a child could grow to make their own story from the shadows, which will then turn into a forgotten part of history. The untold legacies that are left within either a few or left the world along with their makers.

Though, even hidden stories could sometimes be revealed again.

**~^*^~**

“This is a very crucial event, therefore the both of you are required to uphold our titles like proper Blacks once we get there.” Her voice wasn't completely commanding, but held a certain tone of sternness. “No gallivanting as we’ve been allowing you both lately. I propose that you two don’t make your father and I regret our decision on that matter.”

“Yes, Mother.” Two raven black haired heads nodded as they straightened their postures as much as they could.

The two raven haired boys looked eerily similar, almost like twins. Even at a young age, they both held features of a certain unique beauty much like their mother. Their pale, but yet healthy skin seemed untouched by any form of disfigurement. Their faces held aristocratic traits of what their family had bestowed on them. Their most prominent and striking feature were their grey eyes.

The slightly taller boy’s eyes were like clouds of storms relentlessly churning with energy. The shorter one, held similar eyes, though his were more of grey mist with the sun beaming as the color of pale oysters.

At the moment, both of the boys’ eyes held a hidden type of brilliant excitement.

“Sirius, see to it that you watch your brother and stay with him for the duration we are there.” The brothers’ mother eyed them critically causing the shorter one’s excitement to transform to nervousness. The taller one, Sirius, had noticed so he’d answered quickly drawing his mother’s attention from his younger brother.

“I will and I propose we should go now before we’re late, mother."

There was a soft click behind the brothers’ mother when a handsome figure came into the room as he firmly closed the door behind him. The man looked similar to both of the young boys in the room from his raven like hair to his striking grey eyes. He was clothed in black dress robes that flows behind him like dark wings with forest green trimming, while his broad shoulders only showed a fraction of his strong structure.

“Walburga,” the man nodded as he refer to boys’ mother when she turned around. “We shall be going.”

“Of course Orion,” Walburga promptly replied.

The man, Orion, faced the brothers, “Remember boys, grab enough floo powder in one hand, through it into the fireplace, and clearly state our destination. Make sure you watch how your brother does it, Regulus.”

Both Sirius and Regulus had gave a firm, “Yes father.”

Orion had looked satisfied then walked towards the elegantly designed fireplace and took down the pot above it.

“Sirius, you will be going first.”

The taller boy confidently struck forward and took a handful of the soft green substance in the pot than turned to the fireplace. Before Sirius threw the powder in, he made a quick glance to his younger brother and gave a smile. Regulus then returned his own tentative smile.

Finally Sirius yelled “Malfoy Manor!”, tossed the floo into the grate, and a dancing green fire had burst into life. He then promptly walked forward and disappeared within the flames clutches.

“Regulus.”

Regulus blinked at the sound his father’s voice and took a deep breathe. Regulus had carefully took measured steps to his father and stopped in front of him. He than glanced up at his father and mother whom was giving him expected looks. Regulus looked down at the pot than grabbed a handful of the green powder. Here’s goes nothing, he had thought, just do what Siri did.

Don't be afraid cause it’s your first time. Siri told you that whenever you're afraid, at least do it with a smile.

Suddenly the floo within Regulus's hand were thrown into the fireplace as the loud words of “Malfoy Manor!” left his lips, the grate had burst into brilliant emerald flames. Regulus smiled, walked into the fire, and disappeared in a flash like his brother.

**~^*^~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: WHOHOO!!! My first Harry Potter fanfic! And one with Regulus Black at the boot! Lately, I’ve been having an obsession over the younger Black, especially ones involving the Black Brothers’ relationship.
> 
> Regulus was the one who had stood alone against darkness after his brother had left. He was the one who found out what's wrong with Tom Riddle's plans. He was the one who’ve died alone to stop the wrongness of it all. But sadly he became the forgotten unsung hero. Even worst, at the ending of the Harry Potter series, Regulus was still forgotten and Severus Snape became the Slytherin hero! I have nothing against Severus, but at least acknowledge what Regulus sacrifice his life for. He died at 18 for Merlin's sake!
> 
> Now that I’m done ranting, I honestly have no clue where to go with this, but hopefully I’ll come up with something. Anyways, let's see where this story take us.


	2. The Flames are Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I would like to say thank-you to [The_Yellow_Pen ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Yellow_Pen) for being my Beta in checking my somewhat messy grammar. ^^
> 
> **Big time skip ahead.**

. **ooOOOoo**.

It was quite when Regulus felt his teeth grinding against each other as he forced his lip to clamp to a thin line. Though his lungs were screaming, no, _begging_ for the sweet taste of air.

He couldn't tell if up was down or down was up. Regulus knew that the cursed demons below, or was it above? Well, all he knew was that their skeletal hands kept on clawing and grabbing as Regulus kept on thrashing and kicking at anything that was moving. Those hands clutched every part of his body with vice like grip pulling and pulling.

_Are sure you can do this?_

Regulus knew that the numbing water surrounding him were almost unparalleled to the frozen rains of winter. If he was above the surface, Regulus knew he would have felt the pain of every single scratch and bruise he’d accumulated on his body. Maybe he wouldn't have felt anything and just died of hypothermia.

_It isn't as bad as you think, you know that Reggie?_

It was silent when Regulus started to feel his arms and legs moving through the lake like honey. He could barely see the very tip of his nose much less wherever was in front of him. Though, he vaguely saw shapes.

_Are you afraid?_

His vision had blurred so he could only see a various shades of murky of greys, greens, and blacks.

_Yes._

He suddenly saw a flash of scarlet and gold through his slowly closing lids then–

_Well, at least be afraid with a smile._

–then nothing.

. **ooOOOoo**.

He had felt the warmth of the crackling flames as his stormy grey eyes stared at their hypnotic scarlet dance. The embers flickered from red to gold to orange then back to red.

‘Tap, tap, tap’

The grey eyes blinked and shifted when he turned his head.

‘Tap, tap, tap’

With a heavy sigh, he got off of the recently bought rusted colored leather couch. The man crossed the wooden floored room and passed the empty boxes stacked atop each near the front door. He made his way towards the window where the tapping was and lifted it open.

With a flutter, a grey mass sped past the man then landed gracefully on a nearby table. The owl fluffed its feathers and stucked a claw out with an attached letter on it. The bird looked at the man with large, circular expecting eyes.

The man took hold of some owl treats and some bronze looking coins, and made his way to the grey bird. He detached the letter, handed the treats, and placed the coins in the small pouch tied around its neck. With a hop, the grey owl flew back out.

“Thanks.”

His hands teared the seal without looking at it then read it's content:

**Dear Mr. Sirius Orion Black**

**It is with deepest regrets that we must inform you that your brother, Regulus Arcturus Black had recently passed away. Unfortunately, the body couldn't be recovered due to the uncer–**

There was a loud ‘CRACK’ as the letter fluttered down slowly to the quickly cooling hardwood floor. The fireplace’s embers had continued to flicker from red to gold to orange then back to red.

. **ooOOOoo**.

As soon as Sirius appeared, his legs flew. His senses heightening with increasing intensity. His hearing became clearer as he smelt fresh birch. Feet then transformed to paws as they pushed against the prickly cushion of earth below him.

Creatures got out of the way sensing the black canine’s mood. Sirius dodge incoming trees with skill of a predator. He had ran past the foliage of bushes, magical planets, and scattered rocks. He leaped over roots, fallen trees, and glistening streams. He just ran. Ran away from his problems. Ran away from the thoughts. Sirius Black was just running away from the feeling of the realization.

Sirius hadn't thought of his younger carbon copy in years. The last time he came face to face with him was when he’d discovered what the little brat had chosen to become. He would have thought that Regulus had gotten what what he’d deserved, but in Sirius’s mind currently he didn't think that.

Sirius felt angry, frustrated, and . . . and something else. All he had been seeing in Regulus was a person who Sirius could've become if he hadn't left that place. A follower of the madman and someone who had fell into the dark. Someone who blindly follow a type of _tradition_ that would eventually destroy them. A lost cause.

Now, all he remember was that _Reg_ was a kid who had a certain fascination with the little things. When Reg heard about something he had no clue about, he would look them up. Find any and all information on it no matter how useless whatever he was researching about.

Sirius had remembered letters in his earlier years that would ask about details about his time at a certain magical school. A castle nearby a dark forbidden forest and a lake that was the color of obsidian black. The letters that would ask him to sketch what he had seen. Images depicting the scale of towers rising above the clouds or of plants of unique shapes and colors from a Asphodel to a Puffapod.

Sirius had sketch corridors and hallways putting his own tidbits on the side. He had mapped out the best hiding places to sneak out to when he didn't want to be found. Sometimes he had sent results of the pranks he had pulled with his friends when he had knew it would have made Reg laugh.

Sirius didn't remember when he had stop, but all he had recalled that he had just ceased writing.

He didn't feel his next step and just felt air. Next thing he knew was that the world was spinning before for him as the wind rushed through his fur coat.

. **ooOOOoo**.

The Day of the Cave, 1979

A women with light skin danced from the stove to turn down the heat for the soup before she went to chop the green onions. She came back to add the minced greens and sprinkled a bit of black pepper. The women carefully stirred then tasted her creation. She nodded then took out a smooth wand and tapped the pot. The silver pot begun to sustain its heat.

The witch brushed away some of her caramel colored locks that tickled her cheeks as she hummed to herself. She glanced around her making sure the white porcelain dishes and bowls were ordered correctly in their cabinets, while she made sure the hardwood tables were cleaned of residue.

Satisfied, the women took an already worn book and gracefully sat down, allowing the window above the sink to let soft cheery light to beam through. The young witch’s content hadn't lasted long when a sudden pop echoed throughout the kitchen following with a crash and ugly sobs.

The women had barely stood up and grabbed her wand before the wrinkled creature shot up and met her with two large, circular, bloodshot eyes. Her own dark eyes widened as she let the words “What–” before being cut off.

“Master is in grave danger. Bloodtr– Misses must come.”

She looked closer and recognition flooded before her eyes, “Kreacher. Wait– What do you mean by ‘Master’ is in grave danger?” She paused and suspicion begun to rise as she tightened the hold to her wand, “How would I know that this isn’t a ploy to lead me into a trap?”

The old house elf fidgeted while tugging his oversized ears, “Master Regulus. Misses is not considered family. Orders not considered to Misses.”

“I– Regulus is–” she sighed and reluctantly said, “Of course.” Kreacher quickly took hold of her hand and the two popped out of the room.

They landed roughly on the ground while a splash cold wet wind slapped against their faces. The sky swirled with dark raging clouds as they only filtered through misty grey light. The witch tasted salt and noticed a vast ocean slamming furiously at the rocks below. She also realized that her clothes wasn't the most proper things to wear as soon as the elements touched her exposed skin.

 _I really shouldn't have let Kreacher take me. This was a really risky choice. He could've taken me to a trap and I do not have the strong skill set for advanced combat magic._ Her mind paused as the old determined house elf led her to an open cavern she hadn't noticed.

_Why would Kreacher even come to me? What had Regulus done that led Kreacher to come to me out of everyone else, especially since I know which side he’d picked._

“Quickly Misses. Not enough time.”

As it was getting increasingly difficult to see, the witch cast a lumos spell. She saw Kreacher was mumbling in distress to himself too fast for the caramel haired women to make out while he looked around, as if searching for something on the cavern floor when they reached what seems to be a dead end. The witch noticed that the temperature had decreased as she started to shiver. Before she could stop the old elf, he’d sudden grabbed a rock with a sharpened edge and sliced the palm of his hand then slapped it to the wall in front of them.

“Kreacher!” She rushed forward towards the elf. Though before she could look at the elf, he led out terrible scream. The women snapped her head around and saw pale grotesque bodies splashing near the edge of an island with some type of glowing crystals on top.

The young witch’s mind suddenly catalogued the vaguely familiar creatures she had recalled from a distant memory, “Inferi.” She then faced the crying elf and grabbed hold of the little thing’s shoulder while she, herself was shaking, “Kreacher, Regulus is down there isn't he?” The House-elf bobbed his head furiously as his ears flopped along.

The caramel haired witch then dug into her mind trying to remember what someone in her past said about Inferi, “What did she said about Inferi?!”

She blinked when she'd remembered, “FLAGRATION!!!”

A stream of intense scarlet flames burned the first corpse it touched and continued to burn the rest in masses. Most of the infernal creatures started to swim away from the heat, and there were already too many that noticed duo.

“INFERNO! IMPULSE! INFERNO!”

The inferi had started to make their way towards them, but avoid the heat of the flames by diving underneath the water. The woman had noticed that most of them had swarmed were she expected Regulus should be. She gripped her wand tightly as she thought, _this isn't enough._ She cursed, then the corner of her mouth twitched sadly.

“I guess big sister’s Dark Art lessons paid off. She had said I was gifted at it like _her_.” The witch shuddered, but a new sense of fire had lit within her dark eyes as she turned to the sobbing house elf, “Kreacher! Once I say my next spell, get Regulus! I can't get him while doing this spell and I’m not certain I’ll be able to hold it for long! This is not an order, it's a request! Understood?!”

The young witch looked at the old elf through the corner of her eye. Kreacher had stopped crying and nodded with a determined “Yes Misses.”

She smiled gratefully, “Thank you for trusting me to help Regulus, Kreacher. You’re a good elf.”

The witch focused he attention back in front of her then closed her eyes and took a deep breath when her magic crackled with energy around her. As the witch knelt down and pointed her wand to the ground and firmly said, “ ** _Infierno Ignis_**.”

The flames had ignited and gathered around her then covered the young witch’s skin causing her to glow like the sun, but they didn't burn her. Afterwards, the witch pushed the flames out creating a fiery, circular ring causing it to dance around her. She then expanded the circle outwards towards the concaving inferi causing them to screech like the hell beasts they were. Many begun to be driven away from the scarlet and gold flames that had transformed into crimson blazing fire.

The young witch had then found it harder to breath while beads of sweat slid down her brows, not caused by the ring of fire’s heat, but caused by the energy that she had spent controlling the massive flames in which she had assumed for about one and a half minutes. Though she held her ground.

“Misses! Kreacher got Master Regulus! Misses and Master must leave with Kreacher now!”

The witch had let go of the spell, though the flames kept churning. The ground slowly came up to the women.

“Misses!”

The exhausted caramel haired witch picked herself up slowly towards the distressed elf. “The flames should keep the inferi at bay without me before dying out on its own for a bit. I don't think I could disapparated from here myself, and I need to take a look at Regulus before we go.”

“There are wards Misses.”

“Of course,” the woman sighed then ushered, “let me tend to Regulus now.”

The witch ignored the panic that resided within her when she saw how dead Regulus looked and went into her healer’s mindset. _Bruises and scratches are prominent around his body and would be infected eventually, but treated as soon as we leave. Focus on getting air to his lungs for his heart to circulate blood again. Deduction: There's large amount of water in his trachea._ She intricately waved her wand from around the younger raven haired man’s neck down to his chest before going up again while chanting softly.

Blurry grey eyes suddenly snapped open while Regulus began to cough and hack remaining water out of his system as he attempted to sit up, which led to Kreacher to shout with relief. Though evidently, the young man passed out soon after and the older witch caught him before he hit the cold stone ground.

Scarlet light had started to diminish around them when the witch look up at the old elf and quietly said, “Get us to my house Kreacher. If you would, please.”

The house elf took hold of both the older witch and the young wizard then the unusual trio disapparate with a pop. The blazing ring of fire then died soon after, leaving the cave in the cold dark.

. **ooOOOoo**.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First off, Sirius was running off in a random forest to blow some steam so he didn't end up anyway specific. This took place after Regulus journey to the Cave, obviously.
> 
> Secondly, I actually started to wonder who would be the one when had drawn and sketch Hogwarts in such detail for the Marauder's Map, therefore I took the liberty in making Sirius the artistic mind of the group. He can also get scary creative when he wants to.
> 
> Thirdly, I think the witch I've written would be powerful enough–magically–to know and handle Dark spells such as the Infierno Ignis spell, but couldn't hold them for a long period of time like Dumbledore had in the original series. Can anyone guess who was the witch? I suppose I gave enough hints. Just to clarify, this scene had took place the day of Regulus's endeavors.
> 
> Finally, yes this will be an alternate universe, though I'm mostly sticking to canon. Also I decided to stop here cause I can.
> 
> Happy 2017!
> 
> ~FairyRave


	3. Deep Scars and Wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Lots of feels ahead. Enjoy!

**~^*^~**

He felt like he had been hit by the Knight Bus–that also backed up then ran forward again–when he had rolled and finally crashed with a grunt. The trees then had decided to want to play spin the bottle. When the trees had finally stopped spinning, he cursed gravity, and heaved himself up and groaned. _I’m going to feel this in the morning._ He shook his head after he’d gotten back on all fours. Sirius looked the hill where he had fallen from offensively and huffed.

The dog Animagus then let his legs move away on their own accord. Sirius breathed in the crisp cold air of autumn. The forest floor was covered by a blanket of fallen orange, gold, and scarlet leaves. Usually during this type of season, each step his large paws took, he would listen to the leaves letting out a satisfying ‘crunch’. At the moment, he deliberately caused the sound to distract his wandering mind. It _surprisingly_ didn't work.

The currently black coated dog growled furiously as his steely grey eyes turned into a storm cloud of emotions. _Stupid. Idiot. Bloody twat. Of all the–_ Sirius had let out a string of other colorful curses under the sun. _Why did you join him? How could you? What was the damn point?_ Sirius’s hackle rose and fell as he began to pace. _Power? Blood purity?! Proving yourself?! Having a grand old time on a murder spree with your bloody **mates**!!!_

He snarled, grinding up his teeth. _You're the stupid dult that called me reckless? Ha! Look at where you are now! An early grave 6 feet under._ Jaws clenched as he remembered the words on a letter that had cemented itself to his brain. _An early grave and you can't even get a proper burial too. You bloody git gone and died at 18._ His foreleg froze midstep.

_At 18. Far too young to know any better. Too naive to understand the dangers. Too ambitious to stand above on a pedestal that was too high to hear to the warnings below._

_I should've forced you to come with me that day. Heck, I should've dragged you out no matter how much you’d hated me._ He paused. _I guess it's my fault too._

Sirius still stood frozen when he just stared out at a distant buried memory.

**.ooOOOoo.**

_“What do you mean? Wait, you're leaving?” Regulus usually blank eyes widen with honest astonishment. “But–”_

_“It's exactly what I said, I’m not coming back.” Sirius briskly threw whatever he could take a hold of from his room into his trunk; muggle shirts, jumpers, nicknacks–_

_“But why?”_

_Sirius barked a bitter laugh, “You know why.” He tilted his head towards the transparent window across his room where he had watch the people throughout his childhood go through their daily lives. They didn't seem to notice back then, that a young boy was watching, longing to reach out for the freedom of restrictions like them. The sort of freedom was out of his reach until the day he'd stepped foot on a shining engine red train to a place where he had the chance to make his own choices._

_The elder brother then noticed a little black bird flittering past towards the clouds of the open sky, unknowingly sending a significant message. “I’m done fighting.”_

_“That's a lie and you know it.” Sirius slowly turned to his younger brother and rose an eyebrow. The young wizard’s eyes beamed straight at the older’s with an expression that Sirius hadn't seen in a long time. “You never give up.”_

_Sirius looked at Regulus, really looked at him, “When I said I’m done fighting, I meant I’m done fighting **them**.” Sirius wasn’t taken aback at how much venom he hissed out. He did note that his younger brother’s eyes flickered away from his own._

_He sighed, “You could come with if you want.”_

_Now the younger sibling’s head snapped around with such force, Sirius thought it would actually snap. “What?”_

_Sirius picked up his Gryffindor courage with a smidge of_ _hope and repeated, “You could come with me and leave too.”_

_Regulus's eyes swam with a turret of emotions. There was a silent tension just then, so much so that it seemed to be waiting for something to just snap. The silence lasted for what seemed like years before his voice mumbled something._

_“What?”_

_“I can't.”_

_Sirius expression darkened, “Figures.”_

_Regulus attempted to avoid another beat of silence by trying to reason with him. “You didn't have to keep responding to every single comment they make.”_

_Sirius snorted, “Yeah, like I’m going to let their little comments slide. They basically make a **comment** about every single damn thing I do. Mother dearest may have already even made a whole list of **comments** ready just for me at the end of every school year before. A bloke can handle only so many comments before it's enough.”_

_He’d slammed the lid with enough force, it had caused the doors to rattle. “Unlike the comments they made on me,” Sirius rounded to face his brother, “You’ve done no wrong to them. Oh, they talked about you alright. Praising their better son, the perfect little prince. The one that should have been the real heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.” Sirius saw something flash on Regulus face before it was gone, he thought it was the trick of the light through his blurry vision._

_Regulus seemed to have bristled, “Your transgressions still cease to amaze me. You can't even comprehend the lengths I go to keep those ‘comments’ going instead of Mother’s other methods.”_

_Sirius swiped his wand off the desk and gripped the rustic handle on the side of his truck, “I’m as appreciative as ever. Now, move.”_

_“You are always reckless. Besides you’ve overlooked something, you have to wait another year considering you're not of age yet.”_

_“Like you’ve ever cared about what the rubbish the Ministry have made. Now, I’m going say this again, move.” The younger raven haired boy still held his ground, blocking Sirius’s door._

_“You know what, Brother? You’re not as Gryffindor as you seem to think you are. You and your merry band of friends aren't saints as you present yourselves to be either. I know exactly what you’ve lot done to have led to that night at the Whomping Willow.”_

_In a blink of an eye, Regulus slammed back roughly against the wall with barely enough time to react. The younger brother’s hurricane liked grey eyes widened at Sirius with a look of betrayal. The elder brother’s features still blazed with fury as he took a step forward. Regulus flinched and a choked cry left his lips when the back of his head banged on the wall behind him. He froze. Regulus slowly touched his head and both brothers paled at the sight of dark crimson painted on the edge of his finger tips._

_Sirius’s anger disappeared immediately. He had **never** hurted his younger brother directly nor physically before. Even at Hogwarts, the brothers had always avoided each other. Maybe verbally throw hexes, retorts, and painful words, but it had **never** went over to physically hurting each other. _

_Reality came back crashing down on Sirius’s senses when he caught sight of his own wand pointed directly at Regulus. His arm went slack and he felt horror coursing through him. “Reg I’m–”_

_“Go.” Regulus gaze had made Sirius balked. The younger wizard’s face was wiped bare of all emotion and replaced by an intense cold look of pure hatred._

_“What are you waiting for? You just explained elaborately and clearly about why you should leave? What's keeping you here?”_

_The older wizard wanted to get out of the hole he had fallen into, but all he could think of would have gotten him deeper and deeper. He so desperately wanted to take back what he had done. Sirius’s mind raced a mile a second, “Look, I’m sor–”_

_“JUST GO ALREADY!”_

_The older wizard stepped backwards, but still stayed. Regulus seems to be trembling by then as the blank mask he wore begun to crack. “I just–”_

_A piercing screech, made Sirius whipped around._

_“I thought I’ve already told you to leave! What are you– WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” Fury marred the matriarchy of the House of Black features as her blond locks shimmered behind her like white fire. “HOW DARE YOU HURT REGULUS YOU FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR! YOU SULLY THE NAME OF BLACK LONG ENOUGH! YOU’RE NO SON OF MINE! GET OUT!!! GET OUT!!!”_

_So he ran._

. **ooOOOoo**.

When Kreacher had Apparated to her home, Andromeda was met with a very frantic husband and a crying daughter whose current hair color at the time was fiery red. The witch told her husband that she was fine but had to immediately tend to Regulus's wounds. He reluctantly let her do her healing magic when the witch told him that she would explain later.

After some rigorous wand movements, salves being applied, and nearly falling over due to magical exhaustion, Andromeda had successfully stabilized the unconscious wizard.

Finally having her mind cleared of a adrenaline, the young witch realized how precarious her position was. Just for the fact that she was healing her long estranged relative who just happens to have the dark, ugly brand of the Dark Lord on his inner left forearm. Though, what caught her eye was not the mark itself, but the dangerously long wound that slashed right through it. Unlike the jagged claw marks scattered throughout Regulus's pasty skin, the wound was too clean of a cut, too deep to be made by an Inferius. It was both a worrisome and puzzling sight.

A little while of pondering and sitting by the pale boy, Andromeda had noticed the old house elf hidden in the far dark corner of the small guestroom. She had asked if Kreacher would keep Regulus's and her endeavors hidden, which he’d responded to her that her young cousin had already ordered him to. That information had gradually made her frown deepened as she thought more about it. She had told Kreacher to go back to her aunt to avoid suspicion and said that he could come check up on Regulus when he wakes. As soon as the old elf had seemed satisfied that Regulus wouldn't die any minute, the wrinkly creature had left.

By the time the sun had near the horizon, the light skinned witch lost most of her color as if she had been drained like dried sponge, especially since she knew how much stress she had cause to her magical core. The witch promptly slept till well after dark once her head hit her pillow. After waking up the next day, she checked up on Regulus's condition.

. **ooOOOoo**.

The young witch closed the door with a soft click when she left the guest room that held a certain dead like wizard behind her. Andromeda had let her back press against the cool door then gradually slid down to the wooden floor. _Merlin_ , she still felt exhausted.

She was currently resigning on upper level of her home as she was staring at a lovely floral pattern just across from her. Near to the left hung perfectly aligned photos mostly of herself, her husband, and her little joy. She felt the corner of her lips raise when one of the image of her child giggling with her short locks shown a cheery yellow, waved at her.

Heavy steps broke her gaze. “Morning Andy, I’ve brought breakfast. I even founded some strawberries and blueberries. Little Dora is still in bed. I think all the excitement yesterday had tired her out.” He took a seat on the floor right next to her and placed the tray of food on the floor in front to them. He wore ruffled orange colored pyjamas while his fair hair looked as if it hadn't been comb yet. He looked at her with a brilliant smile, but she noticed that his usual carefree sapphire eyes held a tint of worry in them. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Thank you Ted and I’m sorry for all this.” In the fit of the moment she burst, “I have no clue what came over me when I’d allowed Kreacher take me out of the blue like that. It could’ve been a trap and I’d have put myself in danger which would have put you and Nymphadora at risk.”

“Andy–”

“But I couldn't say no to him. Kreacher was a sobbing mess when he came and just looked so– so helpless. Then suddenly he’d said that a Regulus was in trouble, but I haven't thought about nor seen him since before we’d left Hogwarts and I left my family–”

“Andy–”

The witch was too hysterical by then to hear her husband, “Even though I knew he was older and must have changed since I last seen him. I just– I just than remembered him when he was a adorable little boy who gets excited about books. Books! I let Kreacher take me just because he said Regulus was in danger and I just happen to have a memory when he was a child over the fact I remembered that he enjoyed reading!”

“Andromeda–”

She kept babbling along, “Merlin! I’m not even a fighter, yet I still went! Yes, I was proficient at DADA at Hogwarts, but I haven't use offense magic in years! What good would I be in a real fight? I was just lucky to have remembered what Bella told me when she had her ridiculous fascination of destroying Dark Creatures. Did you know she even taught me Dark spells? She even told me I’m good at them just like _her_. HER! I _swore_ I would never use a single Dark spell ever again, but I didn’t have a choice! They were coming and there were too many for me to burn them all at once!”

“Andromeda!”

“Then I remembered about the time Bella actually used the spell when she wanted to burn down that field near a lake during our family trip. It went wrong. It wouldn't stop, and Bella aimed the flames into the pond and I remembered the fire just went right through and just burned all the fish, the creatures, the life down there. Cissy and I just stood there watching while Bella was just looking at it with fascination while laughing. The fire didn't stop. It _wouldn't_ stop until half an hour later. I used that exact spell at that cave. I used a _Dark_ spell that she’d used. I could of–”

“ANDROMEDA!” The witch stopped when she felt strong fingers grip her shoulder, but they felt gentle at the same time, “You realize you've been pushing yourself too much lately.”

“I’m– I–”

The fair haired wizard took hold of both of her shoulders now and sapphire eyes sparked with burning passion, “You’ve saved your cousin’s life by going with Kreacher. I know you can tell the difference from someone who would’ve wanted to trick you and from someone who would’ve honestly tell the truth. You and I both know that you’re _nothing_ like your sister. You only use any spells or whatever means necessary to help others as a last resort, no matter what. I know you had followed your instincts and trusted it. You are a brilliant, beautiful wife, mother, and witch who would put her faith exactly where it belongs.” Ted kissed atop his wife's head. “It's one of the reasons I married you.”

If looks and love could move mountains, Ted would be moving them around the Earth a thousand times and then some more. His loving eyes were gaze at her like she was his world while her own shining dark eyes gaze back by reflecting off his own deep stunning blue. The witch felt her eyes welled up as her own cheeks flare up. "Thank you." Andromeda pecked his unshaven cheeks. Then she flushed a deeper shade of red like the color of a rose, "I'm sorry for rambling like that. The stress and exhaustion must have gotten to me."

“Don't worry about it,” Ted suddenly reverted to his high spirits and played with Andromeda’s soft locks, “Now, shall we eat breakfast down stairs or are we having a picnic on the floor.” He plucked a blueberry from the almost forgotten tray between them, put it into his mouth, and chewed with a look of bliss.

Andromeda giggled as she wiped her eyes with her wrist and shook her head at her husband's antics, "The kitchen would be fine, though I should wake Nymphadora first."

After Ted helped Andromeda up, she looked at the closed door sadly. “I’ll need to check on Regulus afterwards and see if he wakes.”

Ted nodded thoughtfully as he picked up the tray off the floor, “Do you think he would take it well by being here?”

“I don't know anymore. Kreacher definitely would never have come to me if he wasn't desperate. I left the family when Regulus was around 8 or 9 if I recall correctly and I am considered the ‘blood traitor’ after all,” she added sourly, “So why me? Now that I think about it, why go to me and not Sirius?”

“I thought Sirius wants nothing to do with his family? Based on what you've read to me from his letters, you can deduce how strongly he feels about them. Besides you that is.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, “What was Regulus doing in a cave infested with Inferi?” Ted looked equally puzzled and shrugged.

“That does bring up some interesting questions. Maybe you could ask him when he wakes up.”

“You're right,” she paused, “Do you think Sirius should know about Regulus's condition?”

“Do you?”

“Nevermind.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Sheesh, I've written some deep stuff in this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, did I wrote Andromeda and Ted's personalities okay-ish? I kind of imagine what Nymphadora Tonks home life was like for her to have that bubbly sort of personality we all know and love (she is around 6 at this time if I calculated correctly).
> 
> Also, I have no clue how the heck I've written that version of Sirius's leaving the House of Black. I'm not even that great at writing arguments! But Merlin, Sirius had done and screwed up.
> 
> I also realized my writing quality was kind weak the first few chapters (writing till 4 in the morning sure didn't help), so I'll work on getting them revised before I get too far.
> 
> Reviews, comments, critics are appreciated! ^^
> 
> -FairyRave


	4. Small Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is, again, betaed by the wonderful  
> [The_Yellow_Pen ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Yellow_Pen) ^^

. **ooOOOoo**.

The house was silent. Too quiet. It was like the house was encased in it’s own sound bubble. The unlit halls were dark, empty of life as she creeped forward. The shadows were dimmed as the light hidden behind a curtain across the corridor washed early yellow light steadily around the corner. Particles of glowing dust danced like fairies within the pale light as if they were on a stage.

Soft feet padded across the wooden floor. _Careful. Careful. I wouldn't want be caught._ She avoided the places where she knew the floors would creak. She took another step towards the innocent looking door. _Just a peek. I just want to know who’s behind the door._

Finally the young girl stood before the tall, bronze colored door. Standing on her toes, she reached for the handle as her two tiny hands had grasped the cool knob and twisted. Still holding the door, the girl pushed the door forward at a snail like pace, quickly sneaked in, and closed the door with a soft click.

The room was dark when she surveyed around. As her eyes adjust to the minimal light of the closed curtain, she gazed around the familiar space. The walls would be a warm gold-ish color like the sun during spring if the small but spacious room wasn't so dark. There were vaguely shaped furniture pushed against the wall. The girl ignored them and noted the bed was against the wall in front of her, aligned to the center. Finally the young girl had saw a pron form under the covers.

There was a chair already situated just to the left of the bed, so she thought logically to tip-toe her way towards it. It took a bit of determination to climb on top of the chair, but she had successfully did it. The young girl had grinned triumphantly.

Sitting on her knees, she observed the young sickly looking man on the bed. It was too difficult to see much but she could tell that if the room was lit, the man would look like a sweaty ghosts. _Do ghosts even sweat?_ She then was taken aback on how wrapped up he was like an Egyptian mummy. She noted there were already some areas where fresh pink skin had recently grown.

The girl had recalled her mother had spoken about some spells and potions she would use at her job as a Healer. She remembered getting bored at some point, but she was glad her mummy knew how to heal people who are hurt. She knew how much her mother worries about her too, since she always ended up somehow falling over even over nothing–or over her own feet.

The girl looked back curiously at the young sleeping man. He had messy black hair like the colour of a raven’s feather and a black cat. She had vividly remembered tripping over a black cat, as a result the cat had ended up following her everywhere. Her mother had eventually let her kept it.

The girl shook her wandering mind and went back to observing the man. He had the high cheek bone like her mother, but more masculine. And the aristocratic pretty features, though the young man didn't look like he had eaten in awhile. There were also prominent dark bags under his eyelids even though he had slept since yesterday afternoon when the man and her mother popped into the sitting room. She had ferociously denied to her father that she cried at the time because of the ugly scary creature with them. She shivered at the memory. The girl was just happy that she hadn't seen the thing since.

The girl looked back at the man’s sleeping features. She’d wondered how the man came to be like this and worried her mother so.

Unexpectedly, the man had shifted which surprised her so much she fell off the chair with a squeak. The girl crashed onto the follow with a thud, which caused the man to suddenly sprang up. Though, he prominently fell back on the bed roughly, groaning.

She saw the man’s stunning grey eyes shifting around till it landed on her. She practically felt her hair turn pink as her face, so not wanting to be rude about disturbing the man’s sleep she introduced herself.

“Wotcher Mister! I’m Nymphadora, but my daddy calls me Dora a lot anyways. Which I would prefer you call me, by the way. I’m really sorry for waking you up, but I was just so curious about you. Though, I’ve been wondering, why do you look like you’ve been ran over by a herd of hippo-griffs?”

The man just stared at Dora stiffly with his pupils practically blown up. Then replied with a croaky, “What?”  
  
Dora picked herself off the floor and clambered back on the chair, while ignoring the eyes watching behind her. “Well, you looked just awful when you and mummy popped in the sitting run with a umm– the wrinkly creepy creature with big ears.” She nodded satisfied with the description, “Though, mummy healed you, so you look better now. Still awful, but better. Mummy is still worrying a lot about–”

The older man cutted her off, “Wait, who are your parents?”

“Daddy's name is Edward, but everyone calls him Ted and mummy’s name is sort of hard for me to pro– umm– pron–.”

“Pronounce.” The man offered. He had seemed less stiff by then, but his voice would still croaky.

“Yeah, and it’s long like my name.” Dora scrunched her nose. “I can barely pronou- umm, say my own name. Mummy always says my name is beautiful, but I dunno. Anyways, daddy always call mummy Andy. How about you, what's your name?”

The man looked hesitant and studied Dora’s curious face. He then sighed looking resigned, “If you must know, my name is Regulus.”

“That’s a nice name, though kind of strange. Reg–u–lus.”

Regulus shook his head, “You’re a bit strange yourself.” Dora shrugged and bobbed her head in agreement as corner of Regulus twitches up. Dora noticed Regulus eyes shifted up to look just above her head. “That's an interesting choice of color.”

“Oooooh, yeah! I can change my hair and other parts of my body to anything I want. Well my hair color also changes a lot when I’m either reeeaally happy, or reeeeally mad. Anyways, mummy thinks I should at least keep one look for a week or two so I don't keep surprising her when we go out. Daddy thinks it's funny though. Oooohhh, I can show you.” Dora closed her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, waiting for the sort of usual fuzzy feeling she felt when she change something. When she was done, she peeked her through her eyelids to see a funny expression where Regulus’s jaws dropped to the floor.

He closed his mouth slowly then weakly stated, “You– you're a Metamorphmagus.”

“Yep.” Dora stated as she pop the ‘p’. She grinned and shook her now shoulder length black locks much like Regulus’s raven black hair, while her eyes shown a silver grey a shade lighter than Regulus’s. The young Metamorphmagus kick her short, chubby legs while humming a tune the her mummy usually sings.

Something seemed to click on Regulus’s features, “Who are your parents again?”

Both the older wizard and younger Metamorphmagus suddenly jumped when there was a knock at the door. The room was immediately cast with morning light as the curtains moved aside by themselves. Dora saw Regulus spun his head to face her mother with a look of pure shock on his face that made her muffled her giggle behind her hand.

“I see you're awake now Regulus.” Andromeda nodded at the shocked face wizard then turn to her daughter, “There you are Nymphadora,” Dora scrunched her nose up at her name but faced her mother anyways, “Would you please go downstairs to help your father set the table for breakfast?”

“Alright, mummy.” Dora hopped off her seat nearly falling over again, but caught herself. “Bye Mister Reggie, nice talking with you!” The little girl skipped then passed her mother leaving the still shocked wizard sitting on the bed.

. **ooOOOoo**.

Sirius woke up to find himself that he had spent the night on the hard leather couch. His back was cramped enough to have felt like he had slept on a brick wall (which he knew what it was like since it did happen once, but that was Prong’s fault). The wizard cursed at the much too bright happy light. He groaned, rubbing his face as he got up.

“What the hell am I doing on the couch?”

A burst of green fire lit the flat as a man ran in with ragged breath screaming, “PADFOOT!”

Sirius proceeded to immediately fall off the couch in a heap. He then started to let a second round of curses, but in the end decided to stay on the floor. _The floor is a nice place to be._

“Are you just going to lay there?” The man with hair that is forever cursed to look like bed hair raised his eyebrows, then he walked over and plopped on the couch where Sirius had apparently slept on the night before.

“It's too early for everything, Prongs.”

James rolled his hazel eyes and sighed. “I’m just going to be blunt here, Sirius. I came over because I found out about, you know–”

Sirius blinked with honest confusion, he creased his forehead trying to rack through his brain of what he and James last spoke about, “About what?”

“It’s in the paper.”

Sirius gave his friend a deadpanned expression.

James pulled his circular glasses off and rubbed his face. He then took out the _Daily Prophet_ and threw it in front of the man currently resigning on the floor, “About Regulus.”

Everything that happen the other day suddenly came crashing onto Sirius; the letter, the forest, the grieving, the memories.

“Oh.” The wizard just laid there as a forbidding cloud covered his expression.

“Yeah.” James pushed his glasses back on the brim of his nose and looked at Sirius pitifully. “Are you alright?”

“As much as I’ll ever be with grieving for my supposedly dead brother who I haven't spoken to since I left Hogwarts with nothing but recent memories of arguments, yelling, and hexes and then finding out he was a Death Eater which I think that maybe it was my fault for leaving him at my childhood home with parents who are practically the ‘Dark Lord’ supporters and no way to make amends with now that said dead brother is dead. Oh, did I mention, there's no body to bury. Other than that, I’m a great ball of sunshine that wants to dance with pink fluffy unicorns on rainbows.” Sirius then proceeded to curl up on himself. _Yep, the floor is where I deserve to be right now._

Sirius felt eyes burning on the back of his head but he didn't care. All he wanted to do is drown in his own misery. _Maybe I should get a drink later. In the morning? Yep._

“So–you are planning on going to the funeral? The place where you know your family who disowned you, would be too?”

“Might as well.” _So I could curse the lot of them to kingdom come._

James just stared skeptically, “Are you sure that’s a brilliant idea? I’m pretty sure there would be a lot of Death Eaters there too. I wager plenty of them would line up to hex your arse off once they see your face. Maybe torture you to oblivion afterwards.”

“We’ve done years worth of stupid stuff before, Prongs. Do you not remember the incident with the apples?” Both of the wizards shivered.

James shook his head, “Moony still avoids apples like a plague after that, though they still freak me out a bit too. Ugh, Lily sometimes gives me looks when I try to stop her from making apple pie.”

“Yeah–Why not add ‘going to a Death Eater infested funeral’ to the list? ‘Sides, I’ll be staying as Padfoot the whole time and warch from a distance.” Sirius rolled onto his back to the face the ceiling that held some old cracks and took a deep breath, “I just feel like I should go. I don't know, Regulus is–” the wizard paused and murmured, “he was my younger brother.”

James inhaled through his nose and exhaled out through his mouth, “Alright, the date of the funeral is in the paper.” James turned his head and studied the lonely clean flat around him.

To be truthful, out of all the Marauders, Sirius was surprisingly the neatest. During their first year at Hogwarts, Sirius initially would be asking questions why either James or Peter had left their beds unfolded or why they had left their clothes around. He had even asked about the way they had organized their things from books and such. Though Remus was neat himself, he thought the way Sirius acted was a bit weird also, not that any of them admitted it. They had all thought he asked those things because he was those type of kids who liked to keep clean, so they went along with it.

Before that, around the Start-of-Term Feast, Sirius had sat up stiffly straight unlike any other First Year and ate like most of the Professors (and the Slytherins) did. James had asked about it, but Sirius had distracted him with a joke of some kind and then asked about the way he would set up pranks. That night, James had realized Sirius didn't eat anything for the rest of the feast.

For the first couple days of the term, James and the rest had thought Sirius was a strange kid for no other reason than being himself. Well, until the day the letter came. His roommate had the very first Howler of the year. The reasons why Sirius was the way he was had finally came to light for the three other roommates. It was the day the four of them formed their pack, and the day James sealed their friendship for the rest of their days.

Sirius was a kid with a strict and unhappy home life. There were some brief information of a younger brother that seemed to shed light to the gloomy childhood, but Sirius would usually became dejected or worried when he was mentioned. James wondered about the Brother’s relationship sometimes, but since he had met the younger Black a year later–it wasn't a pleasant confrontation to say the least. He wasn't sure what to make of him at the time.

Now older, he thought maybe, the brothers only had each other before the elder one left. James had felt a bit guilty about the way he had treated Slytherins back then since Lily gave him ‘the talk’ about the subject. But truly, he thought Regulus made his choice a long time ago.  
  
James’s hazel eyes landed back on the other man’s depressed form resting on the wooden floor. James didn't liked the fact that one of his best friend was suffering alone like this. He will damn well make sure the man who had stood next to him through thick and thin not go down like this. “Until the funeral, you’ll be staying with me. We have plenty of room, and Lily would be happy to see you.”

Dimmed eyes still faced the ceiling above him, “I don't want to bother you or her with me being like this.”

“Nope, you're staying at my place and you have no choice in the matter. If you resist, I will be forced to personally drag you out, and you can guess what I would do when I want to do something.”

“You couldn't get Lily to go out with you till our seventh year.” Sirius dryly pointed.

“Oi! I’m married to her now! You don't need to bring that up! We were talking about your problems, not my past problems. Now get off the ruddy floor and let's get going, Lily is making pancakes right now.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

Regulus fidgeted. His pale, clammy hands clutched the duvet that was spread over the bottom half of his body. He knew his appearance was currently atrocious considering how much he felt like being mauled by a ‘herd of hippogriffs’ as referenced to the little girl who was in fact a Matephorpus. _A real Matephorpus!_ Regulus was also relieved that Kreacher made it out. _Even if Andromeda’s daughter sort of insult the poor House-elf._

Though in literal sense, he had been mauled and nearly drowned by animated dead bodies created by the Dark Lord. Well, Regulus refused to refer the man–monster–that anymore.

Monster seems to be the appropriate to describe him. He shall proceed to refer him ‘Mort’ in his head. Since in French ‘Vol de mort’ translates to ‘Flight of Death’ and ‘mort’ is really the conjugated form of ‘mourir’ which means ‘to die’, thus the monster well further be called Mort. Ironically, naming himself of fleeing from death, referring to immortality, was almost laughably obvious. Not that anyone had seen it, the means gaining immortality were just too, inhuman. But blind promises and power within someone's grasp were in the way of the truth.

Overall, Regulus hadn't felt this skittish since he had found out the truth about Mort. Though with all things considering, Regulus hadn't seen hide nor hare of his disowned cousin in a long time. So yes, he would be fidgety when facing her dark intensely sparking eyes that had stared right at him down to his very being. Scrutinizing him.

Regulus couldn't recall how he had gotten to Andromeda’s home. He couldn't even fathom why she of all people would save him! Regulus was even more perplexed of how she had managed to have found the cave, let alone fend off the hordes of Inferi and saved him in the midst of that.

His cousin looked much older, more mature than when he had last seen the witch. Her features were still scarily similar to Bellatrix’s, from her high cheekbones to the arch of her eyebrows, though the similarities ended there. Bellatrix held an aura of chaotic madness around her, while Andromeda had held a nature of tenderness and compassion.

At the moment, being under the older woman's care was not how Regulus had envisioned he would be at after he had accepted to have died in his watery grave.

“I need you to take some of these potions. I’ve been waiting for you to wake to administer them to you. If you must know, I already applied salves and Dittany, so your scars would have been healed over by now. Although, you did had a lot of blood loss, so you will need to take the Blood-Replenishing Potion first.” The witch gestured towards the one of the two bottles near what seemed to be a glass of water he hadn't noticed on the nightstand. “The bottle on the right.”

“There were traces of some kind of substance that I couldn't make out within your system. I had managed to get your blood stream cleared of the substance, so I don't expect it would be much of a problem in the long term. You’re also severely dehydrated, I suggest you drink a lot of fluids in the meantime, especially water. I don't recommend eating any solid or hard food for a at least two days.”

She took a moment to pause and continued, “Considering you were underwater for an extensive amount of time before I had gotten you out, your brain lacked the oxygen it needed thus you might experience dizziness and nausea at unexpected times. The brain isn't my field of expertise, therefore I cannot go further to help you unless you meet an expert. Just take the two bottles of potions I already labeled. I’ll give you the others when it's the time to. If you have any other concerns and problems, just call for me.”

“Thank you.” Regulus murmured.

She nodded steadily. The silence was deafening by then after Regulus had downed the bitter tasting potions. He avoided the older witch’s gaze as he fiddled with the frayed edge of the bandage on his left arm. She gave a sudden huffed in an unladylike manner and crossed the room with purpose. She then, without delay, took a seat on chair with an air of dignified grace right next to the bed.

Andromeda regarded the younger wizard and exhaled deeply, “Regulus, what happened to you?”

His fingers stopped moving. He just stared at his wrapped left arm. “I had simply made all the wrong choices.”

He knew that the mark hidden from sight would forever be branded to his skin. Not only as a visible mark, but something that represents a more permanent dark force. A constant reminder of past transgressions and trepidation. Though, he had recalled the pure satisfaction when the mark was painted crimson red. For that moment, he had felt a sense of tranquility. He let his arm fall besides him.

The wizard noticed his cousin observing him then looked down on the bare floor, “I know we haven't exactly been on pleasant terms since I was disowned. Though I will never regret my decision on that matter.” She paused, “But that doesn't mean that I still don't miss my family I grew up with either. No matter what their views were, I never truly want anyone of them to get hurt.”

“I didn't want anyone to get hurt either.”

Regulus saw Andromeda gazed back up with bit wonder, but didn't made any comment on his statement. “And the cave?”

The wizard stiffened, “I needed to do something.”

Regulus believed that the information he had on Mort was too vital to just simply appease to his cousin’s curiosity. He couldn't let anyone know. It's a type of information that would end the hellish war once in for all. If it ever gotten out, well, he would be better off killed by the Inferi.

He decided to divert the subject, “How did you save me in the first place?”

Regulus saw Andromeda biting the bottom of her lip, “Kreacher took me there. At the cave I– I remembered Bella had spoken about Inferi and their weakness towards flames. She used the Infierno Ignis spell once before too so–”

_Wait, had he heard correctly_ , “You used that the Infierno Ignis spell successfully? On your first attempt?”

Andromeda bristled like a cat while her eyes flashed, “I had no choice.”

Regulus held his hands up, “I hadn't meant it to sound that way. It's just, I hadn't realized that your that magically adapt with that form of magic. Not because of what it's labeled as, but the amount of stamina to cast and hold it.”

“It’s not without consequences. I can't use a lot of magic now without feeling drained afterwards. I just need to rest for a couple of weeks until then.” The witch relaxed her shoulders in resignation.

The younger wizard had a creeping sensation of guilt crawling up his throat. “Why did you save me?” He nearly whispered.

The caramel haired witch's dark eyes softened to an expression Regulus hadn't seen in a long time. “You’re family. You're also my younger cousin. I may not agree with you on some topics, but as I’d said, I still care about my family. Even if most of them wouldn't do the same.”

Regulus was at a loss on how to respond to _that_. Briefly, lost memories flooded through his mind. Of the time before the war, before Hogwarts, before the talk of political views and expectations, before everything crumpled.

Of the time where laughter was a past time. The time instead of blank faces, his father joked. Instead of long winded rants, his mother made banter. Instead of cruel torture, Bellatrix would be in the spotlight telling stories. Where instead of fake smiles, Narcissa had spoken about anything under the sun. There were many others, but Regulus had remembered the time where Sirius, Siri, was his older brother who had made him smile.

“Andromeda?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry for everything.”

Regulus watch as the older witch face transformed to that of bewilderment, then understanding. Andromeda gave a gentle smile.

“You’re not at fault Regulus. I made my choice and they made theirs. We can't repeat the past, but we could forge a different future.”

Regulus in return gave his own tentative smile.

Unexpectedly, there was a thump outside the room followed by a knock at the door. Regulus saw his cousin’s dark eyes flickered towards him before she called, “Come in.”

An unfamiliar man strode in with a troubled look. Clutched in his hand was what seemed to be the wizarding paper, the _Daily Prophet_.

“Andromeda. Regulus.”

Andromeda stood up with concern, “What is it Ted?”

The older man, Ted put his hand through his hair and whirled around looking straight at Regulus. “You’re death is apparently announced all over the paper.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is nearly 4,500 words! I had no clue I could even write that much! I even made a little planner thing for each chapter but they only have 3 bullet points each. What the heck?! 
> 
> I’m super ecstatic to explore Dora and Regulus’s relationship. I predict there would be a lot of fluff in the future. Also, why doesn't anyone say that writing a 6 year old was stupidly difficult?! *Proceeds to flop on the floor*
> 
> Regulus head is the strangest place to be in for me. Much stranger than Sirius’s. I didn't even know what tense to write the story in when I started to write Regulus that way. It a completely different style from what I’m use to. Regulus is like a encyclopedia. He even uses words I don't even use. And I’m suppose to be writing him! 
> 
> Also, Mort is an even worse name than Tom. Though Regulus doesn't know that yet. To clarify, I actually took French so I know that mort is derived from mourir. ‘Mort’ is the past tense form so it mean ‘dead’ or ‘death’. ‘Mourir’ the infinitive form means ‘to die’. Hope that clears that part off.
> 
> Overall, I’m happy how this chapter had turned out.
> 
> Reviews, comments, critics are appreciated! ^^
> 
> -FairyRave
> 
> P.S. I have 2 Tumblr accounts if anyone wants to talk about this story with me, just talk me. The first one is @fairy-rave.tumblr which is my random blog, @fairyrave-art.tumblr is my blog that is strictly for the things I make.


	5. Little Lion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has not been edited or revised yet so there would likely be a lot of grammar issues and the like, but I wanted to post this anyways. I may change some details in chapter at some point.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

A little afterwards after the other man’s statement was left in the air to sink in. Andromeda immediately leaped up and dragged her husband out the door while apologizing for her husband’s inconsideration.

The situation was absolutely not how Regulus foreseen what would happen after he had gone to the monster’s cave. He didn't even know how he would react about being announced ‘dead’ to society, or the whole world in the matter of fact.

Regulus slumped down on the feathered filled bed pondering. _How am I dead? How did my supposes ‘death’ became known to the public? It's been like what? A day or two since the cave?_

Regulus wrung his fingers through his matted–sweat clad–hair. He filled through his library of memories of months worth of precisive research. _In theory, Mort could only summon his inner circle followers through the Dark Mark, he could not essentially sense who is actually dead. It’s unlikely he would know that I’m still alive. He couldn't take any chances, he had to stay ‘dead’. I suppose I could use my death in the public’s eye to my advantage. But–_

_How did the announcement of my ‘death’ came into light? It’s nearly impossible for news to travel that fast. On the off chance Bellatrix visits Father and Mother–_

Regulus stopped his train of thought, then palmed his face.

_The tapestry._

_If dear cousin Bellatrix came on a surprise visit to Grimmauld Place, she will ask questions. Bellatrix would not sit idly by until she knows the truth, than I will definitely be dead. Unless–_

“Kreacher!”

There was a soft pop and then the petite elf was floored with pure happiness once his overly marble like eyes spotted Regulus on the bed. “Master Regulus is alive and awake!”

Regulus gave a tired smile towards his old friend, and suddenly the happiness transformed to sobs.

“Kreacher must apologize to Master for almost leaving Master to his death! Master ordered Kreacher to go home, but Kreacher couldn't leave Master!” The old elf than proceeded to further crawl into himself.

“Kreacher! Please stop crying,” the elf went silent but his eyes still brimmed with tears, “I’m fine now and I’m not angry with you. I’m just glad that you made it out of the cave safely yourself.”

Regulus shifted his position to make more space on the bed, then nodded his head to the space. The old elf saw the familiar gesture and made tentative steps towards it as he was breathing was even out.

Once settled where he was sitting up straight across from the sniffling House-elf, Regulus inhaled, “How is Mother doing?”

Kreacher fidgets and sniffles some more, but answers, “Mistress is very upset, by finding out that Master Regu–”

“Just call me Regulus, Kreacher. I already told you that you have my permission to use my name in private. That still extends from now and the future.”

Kreacher’s large ears flopped against the sides of his head as he bobbed it. “–by finding out that Regulus was d–dead,” the stressed elf shivered but continued.

“Mistress didn't know of Regulus d–death until Mrs Druella visited Mistress for tea in the drawing room. Mistress saw the date of Regulus d–death on the tapestry.” The elf’s already bloodshot eyes started to brim with tears as he shook.

“Regulus f–forbidden Kreacher to speak of what happened in the cave t–to family, so Mistress was mad with grief, but Kreacher couldn't say anything. Mistress goes as far as going in d–denial.” Kreacher bowed his head in shame and sobbed silent tears while Regulus sat frozen.

Regulus felt _awful_ for putting his mother in that position where she thought her son was dead. He felt increasingly more guilty for planning to not tell her in the future. _At least until Mort is gone and this nightmarish war is over._ Till than, to protect his mother and family Regulus couldn't let anyone else know of his survival. _Although, I need to speak with Andromeda and her family some time later._ First, he had to make ensure he _stayed_ dead.

After consulting the elf, he had asked a few more questions, “Kreacher.” The elf shifted his glossy eyes to Regulus.”The date of my death on the tapestry was the day of our journey to the cave? Isn't it?”

Terror flashed through the elf features, but Kreacher nodded in affirmation.

 _Is it possible to trick the tapestry? The family tapestry is a fickle when it comes to understanding it’s magic._ He shook his head. _Too late to study and observe it now._

“You also had said Aunt Druella was there too, am I correct?”

Kreacher nodded with tears now rolling out in turrets. “M–Mistress been throwing chinaware at the walls after reading the paper. Kreacher c–couldn't soothe Mistress mad g–rief and terrible, terrible anger.”

 _Ah, no wonder why the press presumes I’m dead._ Regulus’s aunt was practically one of the gossip butterflies (besides Great Aunt Cassiopeia who was the queen of gossip and blackmail) and if she had seen tapestry of his death, Aunt Drella would go against Walburga’s wishes and spread news about it. Oh how his mother loathe her sister in-law, even if she have been keeping up appearances, this would further increase tension between the two.

“And Father?”

“Master been gone since Master saw the paper in the morning. Kreacher thinks Master is most upset too.”

Regulus sighed and wrung through his already nest like hair. _At least from this point, his family, everyone, and Mort would come to the conclusion that I’m in fact ‘dead’._

“Just keep my survival hidden from now on. You’ve done well with your orders Kreacher. Thank-you.”

“Kreacher doesn't deserve Regulus kindness,” Kreacher murmured.

Kreacher’s head shot up, “Kreacher tried to destroy the vile locket as soon as he got home but Kreacher failed! He couldn't make a single scratch or mark! He tried all night as Regulus was hurt! And f–failed! Over and over and–”

“No no, Kreacher! It’s fine.” Regulus soothed the elf from hysteria. “It’s alright.”

The wizard finally had noticed the dried blood on the ragged self made bandage around the House-elf’s long crooked fingers. “I shouldn’t have assume that you could destroyed something as dark as a Horcrux. It would be too easy than.”

Regulus shagged in realization. “I guess I’m lucky that you went and gotten Andromeda to save me. If not, I would've died in vain.” He tried ignoring the thought, “Is locked at least hidden?”

Kreacher shook his head vigorously.

Regulus paused, “Why Andromeda though?”

With a few more sniffles, Kreacher responded, “Misses doesn’t carry the Black family name anymore and is a bloo– had ran away from the Noble home,” Kreacher flinched, “Misses was the furthest from the family longer. No connection. Severed ties.”

Regulus felt himself winched too. Regulus had remembered how much his family felt that Andromeda’s name was a taboo anytime she was mentioned. At least with Sirius, he wasn't disowned immediately after he was sorted to Gryffindor and still had even kept his surname after he had left (not that he ever hoped to admit for that to be a sign or anything). He recalled the news where his cousin had enveloped with a muggleborn. Then even go as far and married with the man.

She was one of the ones in their generation at the time to have started the chain of events within their family. Though Regulus couldn't have blame her for it now. She needed to tip the first domino.

Regulus also recognized that he was in debt to his cousin for saving his life. He knew that she wasn't the type of witch who would use that against him, but it's the principles that mattered.

“Thank you for telling me all this Kreacher. You've been a wonderful companion and friend for my whole life, and I’ll never forget that. Keep the locket hidden from anyone but yourself. Once I am able, I will need to study it. He wouldn't have make it easy. Till then, stay at Grimmauld.”

“But Mas–Regulus–”

“Please take care of yourself, Mother, and Father for me.”

Once the tears were gone, a determined but worried look was set his marble like eyes, “Kreacher understands and he will.”

Then the old elf pop leaving the space before Regulus, empty.

. **ooOOOoo**.

Dora felt a little bad for listening in when she was supposed to give the bed pron man a glass of water, but when her mum had explained to her that the man that was named Regulus was from mummy’s side of her family, she couldn't help it. The older wizard was her mummy's cousin, so it’s Dora’s second cousin, therefore he’s basically her cousin too. And she wanted to learn more about her mother’s side of the family.

Dora had never met any uncles, aunts, or cousins over her mummy’s side. Yes, her family in her father’s side was nice enough, but Dora had to keep her magic a secret from them. It wasn't fair to keep secrets, especially when she had done some accidental magic in front of them. Her daddy and mummy would always make elaborate explanations about how it happen, even when it was difficult to explain having light brown hair to bright yellow. Dora hated it. She didn't want to keep secrets from family.

The young girl had asked her mother about her side of the family, but she would look sad and say something about them ‘not being the type of people you would want to meet’.

Dora understood that there are some bad wizards and witches. She seen other mummies, daddies, sisters, brothers, friends, family and more, crying and shouting about the bad people at her mummy’s work one day. Her mummy hadn't took Dora to St Mungo's since.

Anyways, Dora didn't know who Kreacher was, but she assumed it was a friend of cousin Regulus since he said so.

She heard that they left a cave, that cousin Regulus was ‘dead’ and had to keep that he’s alive a secret, and some tapestry. _What's a tapestry?_  She than heard something about a locket and a horcr–oox? Some of the convention was just confusing to her, but it seemed serious enough to make Kreacher cry. Dora also discovered that her mummy had saved cousin Regulus from the cave with Kreacher. _So that’s what the wrinkly, scary elf was called._

She knew that her mummy’s last name was Tonks, the same as daddy cause they married, but she still wondered why her mum ran away from her family. She knew her mummy doesn't talk about it much, so Dora thought that her mummy was upset with her family for a long time. _I’ll figure that out later._

It seemed quiet by than, but she heard a muffled, _“Please take care of yourself, Mother, and Father for me.”_ Than Kreacher had left with a pop, so Dora had guessed that the elf disapparated.

After contemplating with what she had overheard, Dora jumped almost a foot in the air–spilling some of the water in the process–when she had felt something soft rubbed against the side of her leg.

“Meow.”

Dora swirl around and gazed on the floor and saw moon like silver eyes staring at her with an intelligent look. As Dora’s heart slowed down from beating a mile a minute, she bent down to pet the small midnight colored fur cat, “Wotcher Mister Chatétoile. Trying to trip me again, are you?”

“Meow.” Chatétoile tilted his head to the left.

Dora giggled, “Well, I should give Cousin Reggie his glass of water before mummy notices I’m gone for too long.” With a short twirl, Dora knocked the door.

Muffled a response, “Come in.”

Dora twisted the knob and poked her head around the down and saw her cousin propped up against the pillow. “Hello again Mister Reg!”

The older wizard didn't seemed to be fazed much this time around but he cleared his throat. “Hello Miss Dora. Do you need anything?”

“No, well, mummy actually told me to bring you a glass of water in case you were thirsty.” She empathized it by holding the clear glass up as she pushed the door inwards.

“Oh. I am a bit parch.” The corner of his mouth twitched up, “Thank you Miss Dora, and would you give my thanks to your mother for me also once you leave?”

“Your welcome! I’ll pass my mummy your message!”

Dora took a step in the room though she had seemed to stepped on the forgotten puddle of spilt water. Dora closed her eyes and waited for the feeling of the familiar crash, but didn't feel anything for longer than it should've taken.

She opened her eyes to see dark patterns that are detailed intracranially, lining up in an upward fashion. The wooden floor was only mere inches from her nose. Her body seemed to have frozen mid fall. Slowly, Dora drawn her eyes up to see Regulus’s hands stretched outward with his own stormy colored eyes widened.

Dora felt her light brown hair turned pink to match her steadily flushed cheeks. “Sorry. I forgot I accidentally spilt some water earlier.”

“Meow.”

Both the still mid frozen Metamorphmagus and older wizard with outstretched hands, eyes followed a little black cat that struck passed the girl which decided to lay on the rug halfway into the room. It then proceeded to groom its silky like dark fur. Ignoring the two other occupants in the room.

“Oh! And that's Chatétoile. He’s the one that made me spill the water earlier.”

Out of the corner of her eye, the young girl had noticed that Regulus forced his gaze away from the cat and continued moving his hands up cautiously letting his magic set her on her feet. “Are you alright Miss Dora?”

Dora checked over herself, “I’m fine, I’m mostly surprise this glass of water isn't broken yet.”

She blinked when her cousin seemed to have slumped on the pillow behind him. “Does this often happen?”

She furrowed her eyebrows in thought, “Yes, I’m not doing it on purpose or anything. It just–happens.”

He then seemed to look at her warily.

“I think I’ll just give this to you now before anything else happens.”

The young girl crossed the room quickly though she had to make her way carefully around Chatétoile. When Dora had made it to the side of the mattress, she held the glass up towards Regulus. Although, she had to stand on her toes in orders to do so.

“Thank you.”

When the older wizard had took the glass from her grasp, Dora let her arm fell to her side. He took a sip out of the glass.

“Do you use magic without a wand a lot?”

The older wizard arched an eyebrow upward as he lower his glass from his lips. “It is a form of magic that I have picked up on, yes.”

“Isn't it easier to use magic with a wand?” Dora scrunched her nose contemplating.

He nodded thoughtfully. “Using a wand is actually directing a wizard or witch's magic to a certain target. It’s concentrated magic from the witch or wizard’s magical core to their arm to their hands and leaving from the tip of their wand. With the correct wand movement and incantation that is.”

“Where is it now? Your wand I mean. I noticed that you don't have it on you.”

He faltered, “It’s–gone now.” A sort of weird gloom passed over her cousin’s face briefly, but soon disappeared.

Dora had decided to move to another subject, “How did you do magic easily without a wand?”

“Going back to magic. Magic is complex and powerful; spells come from the desire of the conjurer using his or her knowledge. The knowledge of everyday properties of elements, connections from one object to another and the sense of space between several places can create simple spells of conjuring, switches, and transportation. Or better known as charms or transfiguration.” Regulus emphasized his point by causing some of the water to float out of the glass and then move the liquid substance above his left palm. It suspended there and even spun it.

Dora nodded in fascination. The wizard’s eyes seemed to light up like the moon, shining with excitement she hadn't seen since well, not even when he’d gotten. Dora remembered how sad and cautious he was when she first talked to him. Now, the older wizard expresses his explanation and thoughts with a type of enthusiasm that just draws Dora in. The young girl watched as her cousin manipulates the shape of the water.

“An important aspect to give the spell life is summoning your energy through your magical core and releasing the compact energy to your target creating an aura connection between both you and the target.” There was a sudden flash causing Dora to blink before her vision cleared. The water was replaced by an crystallized animal. It animated with life like movements of a mammal with fours legs.

As the young girl observed the frozen figurine in more detail, she notice it took the shape of a little lion. The little lion then shook its head and survey around it’s new surroundings with curiosity. The light from the window caused the mini sculpture to be glisten and sparkle like scattered stars in the night sky.

“The fundamentals are the same for wand magic, wandless magic, silent magic, wards, etcetera. It all goes down to concentrated or compact magic or energy. Over a long period of time, a witch or wizard could build up or expand that energy to a point where it just comes second nature to them. A person just have to learn to focus their energy to do wandless magic as I learned. Not everyone could do it though. There is also a factor of how far a person could stretch their core. It’s not infinite. There are limits.”

“For example, you're still young so your magic isn't developed or disciplined enough to do wandless magic at will. Maybe a burst of accidental magic or an emotional outburst, but not wandless.” He paused as the older wizard let his thumb roam the lion figurine. “On the contrary though, you’re a Metamorphmagus. You can shapeshift any part of your body at will, with some concentration. You already show some signs at controlling your shifting abilities. Although, you let your emotions parallel to effect it.”

She knew by now her hair would be a mixture of lavender and blue instead of her look of the week.

“You could learn to develop your skills. With some extra practice, when you learn to control your emotions, and in turn, your abilities.” Regulus opened his palms and turned to faced Dora were his stunning eyes seem to dance with content. “Here.” The girl’s arms came up steadily and the fragile animal frolic across her hand. Dora looked up nervously.

“It’s definitely pretty, but–”

He smile kindly at her. “Don’t worry, I charmed this so it will never break or crack. Remember this lesson well Miss Dora.”

Dora beamed. She knew by then that if she looked out of the corner of her perception, the color of lavender turned to rich yellow. _I really need to work on_ _that._

. **ooOOOoo**.

He stared at the wall right in front of him. It’s a blank wall. It's not white like snow nor is it a brilliant color, it’s a color of blank parchment. A dull parchment. The blank canvas only extends a little bit to both the right and left before frames or furniture discontinue its blankness. But the bare wall right there was still blank.

Nothing had hid the empty spot. Nothing to uncover. It's a space, a gap that could be filled, but isn't. It's one of many areas were it bore its everlasting void. It's utterly blank.

There was disturbance that broke his stream of thoughts and made his ears flicked it up. “You’re brooding. Stop it.” Sirius gave no sign of response beside the twitching his tail.

“I know you can hear me Padfoot.You always transform into a dog when you're brooding or avoiding something.”

Sirius snorted, but transformed back into himself. “I just needed to clear my thoughts.”

Sirius rotated his head to face James. The jet black haired man had an impassive face and shook his head. James was leaning against entryway to what was reserved as ‘Padfoot’s Room cause he always stays for my wife’s cooking’.

“I know that you're hurting, but isolating yourself couldn't possibly be healthy.”

Sirius turned his head away, his eyes beaming at the blank wall. “I’ve been thinking–”

The other wizard waited.

“How did he die? There's no body, but they said he’s dead. It doesn't add up.” Sirius started to pace.

James frowned. “That’s– that’s actually a good question.” He watched as the other man stalked across from one side of the room then stopped, turned, stalked to the other end, and repeat.

Sirius suddenly shot his head up. “I need to go to that funeral.”

“I thought we already established that.”

“No–I mean yes, but this time I have to go for another reason.” Sirius began to pace again with his shoes clicking with each step.

“And that is–”

“I think that my idiot brother’s master or his co-buddies” he hissed with dark venom, “killed Regulus.”

“It’s not that hard to deduce–” Jame knew where this was going, and he did not like it. At all.

“Since there's a high chance the Death Eaters would go send their _well wishes_ ,” the wizard sneered, “they might let something slip–”

“And you’ll do something stupid,” James was off the entryway and made his way to his friend, “Sirius–”

“The bastards killed my younger brother!” Sirius eyes snapped to the other man. The air in the room suddenly felt warmer and denser. Sirius’s aura crackled with fierce energy while his eyes were like a hurricane of fury.

Most people would’ve steered clear of Sirius when he was like this. Sirius may not like it, but he had inherited the Black family’s temper.

Though James didn't flinch, he _knew_ Sirius long enough when he gets this way, “You know being angry wouldn't solve anything, let along getting revenge. Enough people have died already because of Voldemort and his followers. You know that.” Sirius breathing became harsher.

“I angry too. I’m angry about this war. Voldemort. Death Eaters. I’m angry that Lily have to deal with pureblood bigotry. I’m angry to have to see torture in every turn. I’m angry for families being torn apart. I’m angry to have to read about people I know die. I’m angry to see people I never met die in front of me. No. I’m _livid_. You're not the only one.” James’s hazel eyes beamed directly into Sirius’s turret liked grey eyes. “If you're going like this, I will have to go with you.”

The air subsided and felt less suffocating. Sirius opened his mouth. James held his hand to stop him. “I’ll be under the cloak. We might get more information out of the Death Eaters if I’m invisible anyways.”

Sirius sighed, pushing his hand through his hair, “How long do you think this war last will last?”

“I don't know.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, why do I keep writing deep stuff?
> 
> And oh no, what will Dora do with all the information she had overheard? Who knows? Maybe nothing at all? *Innocent whistles* 
> 
> Also, Regulus is geeking out was the greatest thing I’ve ever written at the same time kind of stressful. Sooo many intellectual words that I would only use for essays. Ugh. The scene about the mini lesson, I didn't even planned that. It just came out like that. It feels like this story have a mind of it's own sometimes.
> 
> Did it came out alright though?
> 
> Reviews, comments, critics are appreciated! ^^
> 
> -FairyRave


	6. Buried Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long, but life delayed my writing. (Plus, I actually had forgotten to post this chapter here and only posted it on fanfiction.net like 4 days ago.)
> 
> I don't actually feel 100% about the direction this chapter went, but if I tried to fix it anymore I think I might go crazy and never move on. 
> 
> Also this chapter is mostly inspired by a song called [Car Radio by Twenty One Pilots ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xNLN0QV5A)which was actually the thing that motivated me to finish this, so check that out. I think it really embodies Regulus’s life. ^^

. **ooOOOoo**.

“Thank-you again! Don't worry, I’ll come back in a little bit, cousin Reggie!” Nymphadora flashed a bright grin.

The wizard’s heart tightened a bit.

A moment of silence was permanent in the air after the young girl had took quick, but conscious steps out the door with her new possession rooming on her hands. Along with the black feline with its nose sticking in the air that screams of arrogance (which Regulus knew all too well, so he knew the signs) which followed close behind.

Regulus blinked.

He didn't know what had possessed him to elaborate his thoughts on magic. Much less spoke about his personal research on the topic. Then it had dawned on the wizard that how mundane that conversation was. He felt almost normal and relaxed for the first time.

For years, Regulus had a looming cloud over his shoulders, and every year it had gotten thicker to the point that it had been constantly difficult to breathe at times.

During that time, Regulus had buried himself with mountains of books whenever he get the chance to. It was his escape from reality. Books could give him knowledge of subjects he wouldn't have known through without experience. They could simulate lessons or stories with chosen words for that exact reason. They are teachers in the form of scriptures. Each page could hold a new secret that he couldn't have ever dream of. Every book is unique and written in a way to teach him something.

Books don't constantly bother him. They don't expect anything from him. They don't cause him to tear his hair out. The don't cause him to break down almost every single night. They don't leave him behind–

Reality was in complete contrast of the world of text. Regulus knew that life had been backed him into a corner after a series of ‘choices’ he had to make. There never were choices for him. At times, he was a puppet for the puppeteer.

Plural, _puppeteers_.

Many strings that are attached to him and control him. Every movement didn't feel like his own. Multiple pulls and yank so he would dance around on each command. It was a cycle.

Over.

And over.

And over.

And over.

A absolute deteriorating life, a downward spiral. Regulus hadn't care anymore. He had just wanted everything to stop. Just stop.

Well, the world does not work that way.

Regulus had _never_ intended to go as far as to torture and kill for ‘the cause’. Regardless, he had realized his mistake in joining the Death Eaters and it was too late to back out.

Since he didn't care about how he lived anymore, he simply took it upon himself to get in deeper than ever before. He had rose ranks faster than any other person. Though, Regulus could never, never be proud of the choices that soon came after.

Although, being numb about his surroundings led him to be able to listen to everything without emotional judgment. Pieces of information that would be overlooked, Regulus had grasped it. Figuring out what **_he_** had made brought everything into perspective. As if Regulus had finally reached the end of long pitch black tunnel and saw evil of the world for the first time. How tainted and warped everything was.

For the first time, in years, he felt something. He felt the years of constant pain, bitterness, resentment, rage, hurt, everything he had suppressed, everything he had bottled up, reaching his highest point. Ready to be unleashed.

Though, at the same time, he had finally felt real fear.

_No._

_NO._

_NO._

_No._

In that moment, Regulus furiously shook his head to banish the path his dark thoughts had followed. He did **not** want to relive that nightmare. Not the metalic taste of blood and sweat nor the burning sensation of despair that had finally took a toll on him. Nor remember the screams that haunts his nights and steals his sleep with iron claws. Regulus often thought that living that way was all his future held. Alive, but at the same time, not really living.

Different was the word to describe his situation. Not necessarily the embodiment of mundane by any means considering his circumstances, but enough so to feel like the crushing weight had left his shoulders he hadn't felt since his childhood.

At first, Regulus did felt a pang of jealousy about his younger cousin’s freedom to act and live as a child. She was born in a loving family that gave her the free will to act her age without the constraints of expectations. In addition, Nymphadora was oblivious to how warped the world really was. She smiles at the little things and just bounce back up when she falls.

Though, the naivety and innocence surrounded her seemed to shown that life wasn't all that damaged. Regulus then realized that the reason he felt at ease after talking to the child was that he wanted to persevered that innocence. Somehow the revelation didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would.

The wizard sat in silence.

The wizard ran through his tangled locks, briefly struggled to untangle it. He winced when he felt pain shot up his left arm. It wasn't the concentrated pain of being summoned, he had gotten use to that over time. His high tolerance to pain aside, this pain felt different.

His arm had throbbing sort of feeling that felt like the sting of a particularly strong hex, though slightly dulled. Regulus moved his bandaged arm to eye level and noticed splotches of red blooming out. He didn't react at the sight. He was fascinated to observe the specks of red that had multiplied across the white cotton like surface. His arm went laxed.

Afterwards the wizard heard ringing. A long high pitch sound that crescendos louder and louder, as the whole room had begun to tilt sideways. Regulus forced his eyelids shut, but the nauseating spinning continued as well as the ringing. His body suddenly felt exhausted, drained of energy, like he had been sucked clean dry. The temperature had also seemed to have dropped as the wizard had felt a chill as if his skin was graced upon by a dementor, yet not.

Regulus didn't know what happen next other than the rise of moving shadows, the touch of coldness that seemed to have surrounded him, and the ringing.

. **ooOOOoo**.

“Are you both alright?”

For the past fifteen minutes, the fiery red haired witch, who was stationed across from the two men, studied them, with practically glowing, scrutinizing green eyes. They were in the kitchen which was moderately styled to a muggle type of design as she wanted to pay homage to her roots in addition to convenience.

On the average sized dinner table, in front each of the trio were a plate of spaghetti, barely touched. Sirius was moving his noodles from one side of the plate to the other end. Next to him, James had just pierced a meatball as he twirled the noodles with the edge of his fork.

Earlier that morning, Lily came back from her trip to the market to find her husband and his best friend have suspiciously neutral faces. The day before when she found about Sirius’s brother’s death hit a nerve on her too, though she didn’t voice her thought on the matter. Lily didn’t know much about the younger Black, but she knew that the brothers didn't talk to each other (that’s an understatement). She felt that she could relate with her own strained relationship between her sister.

Lily had a fear that her sister would die at any moment because of her, and she would die thinking that they both hated each other. She didn’t. Even though Lily knew her sister hated her magic, it was a part of her. There was nothing she could do. Then Petunia hated her. The depressing thoughts running through her mind that she couldn’t mend or resolve her own estrangement with her sister. That one day Lily would get news of her own sister’s death and see her body in a casket. And her face that would seem to be stuck screaming, ‘ _This is all your fault, Freak!_ ’

So earlier this morning she had left to adjust her own feelings about seeing Sirius with vacant, broken eyes that carried heavy weights of guilt. It was no surprise that when the witch had finally came home she would be suspicious. Something had lit within Sirius. A renewed light, and it seemed to be churning within his eyes. It was familiar yet, had an underlay of something that held it back. Her husband had also seemed to be in on it as well since he kept attempting to look at ‘subtlely’ Sirius at the corner of his eyes, thinking she wouldn’t notice.

“You both are suspiciously quiet.” She lend forward, “What did you two do this time?” She then narrowed her eyes, “No. What are you two going to do this time?”

Lily saw Sirius’s fork paused mid twirl. He was eyeing her husband through the corner of his eyes as discreetly as possible in a way that his friend could read, ‘ _She’s **your** wife’_. James returned his own face that means, ‘ _You owe me_ ’. The silent conversation did not went over Lily's head as she faked a cough in her fist. After years of spending her time with the Marauders, she’d learned to crack most of the codes in their group.

James cleared his throat turning Lily's attention on him, “We are both just tired from work. A couple of nasty run ins with some dark wizards lately, that's all to it, Love.” James gave his wife a tired smile to empathize his words.

The witch nodded slowly and lend back on her seat, but still looked unconvinced at her husband’s words. “Alright, just be careful than. I feel like things are getting worse lately and if you two are planning something idiotic–”

“We’ve been careful.”

Lily’s eyes beamed at the two men, “Well–” She shook her head, “No. I meant be careful for everyone’s sake and mine.” They were to avoiding her sweeping gaze. “We all knew that people close to us would– would come to pass during this war. Things aren't what they’re like back then, so we can't just do things recklessly anymore. Just please be careful.”

Her husband’s facial expression softened as he took her hand on the table and squeezed gently. “We will try our best.”

Across the table, Sirius’s eyes glazed a bit, but he replied, “Yeah. We will.”

The three of them turned back to their plates, forks clicking away in the silence not really having the appetites. She knew that was as much as she could get out of them unless she persisted, but she hadn't had the heart to break the set determination that ran in her essentially honorary brother in-law and her husband. Lily’s green eyes eyed Sirius renewed demeanor.

. **ooOOOoo**.

After lunch, the red haired witch had left promptly from the table to the other room, leaving the two wizards to their own devices. James dragged the palm of his hands against his face then through his his, messing it up further than usual. “Are you really sure about this, Sirius?”

Sirius processed Lily's words, but felt his resolve already set. “I need to at least be there.” He took and breath, “– but we’ll – I’ll think it through more thoroughly.”

They started to form a plan. Mostly of the stealth kind. They both knew that the funeral would be in 5 days time till Friday, the end of the full moon. The public mourning ceremony would take place on Thursday, the day of the full moon, though Sirius still had no clue how they managed that.

Both Sirius and James had the same thought when their minds wandered to their other friend suffering of all days. Remus was sent on his first mission with the werewolves, so both Sirius and James felt guilty for not thinking about their friend’s situation. Especially since it was the first time they all couldn't be there with each other. They couldn't dwell on the thought, so it was pushed aside.

They knew that this was when reality started to wheel it’s ugly face around. Their childhood of happiness was long gone. Just distant memories like dust in the wind. Their irresponsible teenage years already seemed like it happened years ago. There was no hiding from it, war was always looming behind them. All they had done was ignored the inevitable.

Sirius knew they couldn't do this type of situation with wands a blazing as much as he wanted too. At one point, James thought about bringing Peter in on the plan, but soon Sirius shoot it down. He had said this was a personal matter. The reason he had only allowed James in was because he was the one who Sirius had confined his deeper feelings of his estranged family to. The one whom he had broken down to when he had finally left his former childhood home. Adding to the fact he wouldn't leave Sirius alone on the matter regardless.

Sirius had mulled over the reality of his brother's funeral (he still couldn't believe the fact). In Sirius mind, the people who would come to the event doesn't even care about Regulus. They go just for appearances and politics, that's all. Not for Regulus. No remorse besides for the lost of a main male Black heir. They all lack any remorse. _All of them_.

‘Tap, tap, tap’

“I’ll get it.”

Sirius saw James made his way across the kitchen to let the owl through the window. James took the letter from the bird and gave his thanks as it flew back out. He than proceeded to open the familiar styled envelope and let his eyes flickered across its contents.

Finished, the man placed the letter on the counter and faced Sirius, of which he knew what the letter was subjected around without reading it. “Duty calls.” Sirius saw the tight lines on his friend’s face.

“It’s another one. Isn't it?”

Wooden face, James nodded.

**. ooOOOoo.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize if this came out later than I expected. I had to throw out the original draft and start over and then this chapter seriously went a totally different direction than I actually planned it to be. It was suppose to be a fluff chapter, but noooo, I had to make myself cry while typing this. I literally wrote in my planner:
> 
> Chapter 5: Silly Ducks
> 
> ~Friday morning  
> -Breakfast, Reg reading books with the Tonks  
> -Dora follows Reg around almost everywhere (tripping)  
> -Bonding!!! (DUCKS!!!!!!)  
> ~Reg’s funeral is day cause Blacks are important people  
> -Sirius is conflicted (James sort of thinks he should go)
> 
> You can literally read that the chapter titled, ‘Silly Ducks’ and it transformed to ‘Buried Thoughts’. I mean, what?!
> 
> I’ll probably move some of these stuff in future chapters though and toss some others, only cause I’m determined to write about Dora’s duck affiliation origin. So that’s a bit of spoilers I guess you guys can look forward to. 
> 
> I also want to add that I’m writing another fic call Inconvenient Timing which is a crossover of the world of Harry Potter and Sherlock, so that’s my side project if anyone wants to read that. To be honest, I’m not sure if I could keep consistent updates if I do both this and that fic at the same time, so I’m just going to alternate of write which ever I feel more inspired to write. Although, Emerald Flames is definitely my main project. 
> 
> Reviews, comments, critics are appreciated! ^^
> 
> -FairyRave


	7. Across the Pond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again after almost a full year! Anyways, I’m skip my explanations till the end so just ignore me.
> 
> This chapter had absolutely not been revised yet.

 . **ooOOOoo**.

Sirius’s mind currently churned between what _was_ happening and what _had_ happened.

He felt like he wanted to punch the wall till his knuckles were marred with blood or, even better, mutilate then toss each and every Death Eater personally into Azkaban. But Sirius just stood watching near the door as the other aurors shuffled through the house that was in shambles.

The front door looked as if it was blasted through by a muggle bomb when they walked pass. What’s left of it was only hung by a single squeaky hinged.

There were black scorch marks scattered through the interior ruins as well as on the former pastel colored walls. Broken furniture were split more ways than one, while glass and debris crunched below their dragonhide boots with each step. Ashes filled the air with the scent of charred wood and blood.

They all had felt the linger of malevolent magic as they searched through the carnage.

One of the worst of scenes was when they stumbled upon the two small bodies that lied with glassy, sightless eyes in the children's bedroom closet.

Their short arms clutched around each other with features forever staring out in sheer terror. The elder one was slightly in front of the younger with the last futile hope of protecting his youngest sibling.

Upon the sight, Sirius had froze. Through his frozen sober, he wondered what their last thoughts were.

It seemed like since his brother’s untimely murder, (he refused to call it anything else) the Death Eaters had been increasing their hunts. Both muggles and muggleborns. ‘Blood traitors’ and half-bloods included as well.

They were growing more bold and more blood thirsty.

Each house that they had found with the damn mark floated above like a taunting sign that revealed its claim victims. Each body they found had the same terror that stuck on their faces like a broken recorded.

Some scenes were even more gut wrenching than the last. Especially the ones that made everyone lose their composure enough to make even the most experienced aurors like Moody expressed his boiling anger. Nobody even complained how hard the senior auror had snapped and pushed them to overtime afterwards.

Even so, the amount of calls that their department had to check out were to the point where it became a regular everyday thing.

Wherever Sirius went, everywhere he turned, there was death.

Death that kept on taking and taking and taking…

When a warm hand clampdown on his shoulder, Sirius had already had a spell ready on his lips as his wand pointed at the perpetrator’s face.

James did not flinch for the split second that it all happened.

“Come on.”

The wizard glanced to James’ hand still gripping his shoulder and tore his eyes away from the bodies.

There were more aurors in the room then Sirius last recalled. Some grimly wave their wands with familiar movements to check for magical signatures while others record the scene to be written in a report.

That was what all this was about. Writing a _report_ that would be filed in a dusty cabinet which had a _possibility_ of being reviewed later.

They had not come in time to actually stop this. They could not stop any of this.

Slowly, the a few aurors filed out seemingly done writing their reports.

Another auror with a dark and hard look in his eyes passed them towards the dead children. Kneeling down a short distance from the children, the auror waved his wand to conjure a large, white sheet and covered them. He then placed an object between them of which Sirius couldn’t see.

He soon realize that it was a small picture frame when the familiar dark haired auror suddenly turned to face them the two other aurors in the room.

“It’s the best I could do without moving the children yet. So I thought of bringing something of their parents in spirit.”

Gazing back down, Sirius finally depicted the picture of a happy family of four.

James looked directly at the older wizard, “They would be grateful for it, Frank.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

The next two days were awkward to say the least. Although, surprisingly eventful. The day before, Regulus could stand up again, though he could only walk several feet to get to the bathroom–as a sweaty, panting mess. However, Regulus made a steady recovery due to Andromeda’s magic.

After his unexpected blackout, Andromeda had been mother henning him during the duration of those two days when she discovered how truly disastrous his body system really was. Regulus wasn't particularly surprised at the news considering he couldn't recall the last meal or even sustenance he had retain, or the last time he had more than two hours of sleep. It didn't help much when she found out about the routine Crucios to ‘build stamina’ in his starting years as a Death Eater.

With those words, his cousin had a murderous aura around her that was almost be up to par with Bellatrix’s.

Regulus was a bit taken aback how genuine his cousin’s emotions was towards him. He hadn't felt this much true affection from a relative, or anyone really, for as long as he could remember. Yes, he would put his family first, but his parents weren't the type to reveal open care. Though, they were his parents no less.

Regulus knew isolation. He had lived through it constantly, day by day. Weeks to weeks. Months to months. Then years had gone passing by. It was to the point were in his young life, he had felt that the time before his family had fallen apart had almost never happen. Like ‘family’ was just a good dream that it was nearly forgotten when he wakes up in the morning to a harsh reality.

For some time, past memories would rise to the surface of Regulus brain. Memories that was locked firmly out of the far reaches of his mind was now a constant. It pained him that all of that was gone, but he guess he was use to disappointment. Left with just memories of what was. Gone like water streaming through his fingers.

It felt nice. Having someone to care about him. Not because of his name or what he was capable of doing, but to care about him for no other reason than out of their heart. Not out of expectations.

Regulus had talked to Andromeda about his thoughts about lying low for a while, with her response being: _“Of course you're ‘lying low for awhile’. You may be labeled as dead to the world, but you’re my patient as well as my youngest cousin. Your health is also a complete atrocious mess. Have you seen yourself lately? And Merlin knows what happened to your arm!”_ Andromeda was definitely much more open with her thoughts then Regulus had remembered. The witch was like stranger to him, but familiar at the same time.

Before his older cousin had left, everyone in the family thought she was a perfect embodiment of a Black. She was in Slytherin, she had the graced, had the ability to make clever plans, and had the deceptive cunningness. Not as ruthless as her older sister or as quick wittedness as her younger sister, nonetheless, still not a witch to mess with. She had a mask that no one had been able to decipher and held herself with high sophistication. She could weil kindness and manipulation at the same time with an elegance of a rose with thorns.

That was all deception.

A show till the end since she one day walked out and did not looking back.

It was no wonder that when Andromeda had broke away from the family, she had created a huge scandal and left a impression on the House of Black. Especially, considering that she had eloped with a muggleborn. She went against everything that was expected of her.

Although, Regulus felt that it wasn't that unexpected. Inside, he had known, but didn't understood it at the time. He was too hurt about losing his cousin. He felt betrayed. Regulus went along what was said and not what had nagged his the back of his head.

Well, Regulus was lying to himself. Out of all her deception, under her mask, Andromeda showed the most common sense out of all his family.

Even back then, Andromeda wasn't a type of witch who would listen to the masses or majority without speculating. She would want to know facts. No matter how true something may have seem, she had use any that means necessary to find all the facts. She doesn't judge by word of mouth, but through as many form of perspectives and deductions. She listens, but tries to decipher what she hears. Andromeda had a love for learning and values the deeper meaning of facts. She would think everything has a deeper meaning than what was presented.

All the qualities of a Ravenclaw, but Regulus suspects that his cousin was not the type to gain information for the sake of information. She had s habit of using information to her advantage in her younger years.

Looking back, Regulus assumed that his cousin had deduced that something must’ve been amidst of the bigotry of it all.

All in all, Andromeda had definitely changed since Regulus had last seen her. Her husband, Ted, brought something out of her. She had seemed to glow more. Regulus didn’t know what to make of his ( _former?_ ) estranged cousin’s husband.The older man had a mellow, go with the flow type of personality. The embodiment of a Hufflepuff.

Especially around Nymphadora, she seemed to practically shine with maternal adoration. He would've been really blind and particularly ignorant if he didn't plainly see the obvious love she has for her family.

In addition, Regulus youngest cousin had seemed to have taken the liberty of following him around like a duckling. Including showing up in the room he was resigning in just to simply talk to him.

Regulus could handle a lot of things: keeping his emotions in check around others, make research papers with detailed precision, use various forms of difficult magic (admittedly, most of the magic he studied were theoretical and hadn't attempted to use yet), and defy an inherently evil monster behind his back.

Handling a child was one thing. Handling a hyperactive harpy like child was entirely a another thing.

However, Regulus did not seem to mind after a while.

. **ooOOOoo**.

  
_– it’s with a heavy heart and great sadness that main line of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House had lost one of their prominent members. The ceremony for the young Black will be scheduled tomorrow at –_

“Wat’cha doin’?” The question, however, was muffled thus sounded more like, “Waff tha doeh?” in Regulus’ ears.

The young wizard peered above the Daily Prophet warily, but decided to entertain his perky cousin rather than read further into the mess the paper had spun. Regulus knew that keeping up to date with current events was essential, however the amount of attention of his supposed death have seemed gain was completely ridiculous.

He didn't even know what had warrant this much publicity in his name. Merlin knows how often he had represented the House of a Black on several occasions. Especially when he was required to go to functions and interact with important officials.

_“Blacks should be held with the utmost highest regard.”_

Shaking his head, the young wizard rid of the memory and turned to face his egard cousin staring at him with curious eyes. Regulus noted that they were a seemingly bright amber color that gave an illusion of glowing honey.

“I’m simply reading the news.”

“Anything interesting?”

“No, simply boring politics you wouldn't find interesting.” Regulus said as he creased the paper in half.

Humming in affirmation, the younger girl nibbled the edge of her toast. Some of the crumbs, unknowingly to her, sprinkled upon her lap. Without much thought, Regulus vanished the mess with a wave of his hand.

The window above the sink washed morning light to the clean and pristine kitchen table. Regulus simply watched Dora enjoy her breakfast. He haphazardly tossed the newspaper next to his own cup of tea drained from earlier.

“Do you want to visit the pond today?”

He paused at the random request, “The pond?”

“Yeah! We have a small pond nearby here with ducks in them. I tried to catch them but they always get away,” Dora pouted. “I swear they are smarter then we let on. Well, besides owls. Now those birds are super smart.”

Feeling cooped up indoors, the older wizard agreed to join his younger cousin. Dora beamed and in a blink, she hopped off her chair, scattering more crumbs, than sped out the door.

“I’m get my jumper!” Stomping feet echoed in her wake. “Mum! Me and Reg are going to the pond out front!”

“Regg- I mean, Regulus and I.” Corrected the black haired wizard, though by then the younger girl was long out of earshot.

Andromeda voice called out as she came into Regulus’s view, “Alright then. Remember not to go beyond the wards!” The witch then turned her attention to the younger Back, “Even though I see you are able to move around now, do not strain yourself too much, Regulus.” She eyed his sleeved arm, specifically his left arm critically.

“Has it been hurting lately?”

“It’s– stiff,” shifting his weight between his legs, Regulus continued, “As well as dormant.”

The older healer nodded with a neutral expression. “I will give you another check up once you come back indoors.”

Suddenly, a streak of golden, brown rammed into Regulus’s side causing him to nearly tip over as he caught the owner of the brownness from falling as well.

“Nymphadora!” Andromeda cried in alarm.

“Sorry!”

Catching himself, Regulus saw his older cousin’s look of exasperation and fondness as she reprimanded her daughter. The wizard did not know how to react in his unfamiliar situation, so he ended up making sure Dora was not harmed.

Both literally and figuratively red with embarrassment, Dora turned from her mother and lifted her eyes up to Regulus, “Thank you for catching me…again. And sorry for tripping onto you. Did I made you get hurt?”

“I handled far worst,” the wizard gave the young Metamorphous a small smile showing her that he was all right. Though, the throbbing on his side said otherwise.

Overall, he actually felt fine.

“Come on then, Reg. We’ll be back by lunch, mum.”

. **ooOOOoo**.

Regulus had felt far from fine.

At first glance of the clear surface of the pond, Regulus’ entire mind came to a halt. The young Black _knew_ that the pond was in no way connected to the lake. He even rationalized that the dept of the pond would barely reach above his thighs and the diameter is no longer than the length of a large muggle automobile.

However, that did not stop his whole body from becoming locked in place as his lungs attempted to gulp in some semblance of air. The sounds of wind swept grass and chirping birds he had heard earlier became muted in the background. All he could hear was the crescendoing sound of ringing.

Regulus could not make sense of why he could not breathe. _Why couldn’t he breathe?_

Cold slowly clawed across his skin. His legs. His arms. His chest.

It was cold.

There was a sudden flash before Regulus that forced his eyes to blink rapidly.

“ -ey. Heeeyyy! Are you okay? I was calling out to you forever now.”

Like a damn, sweet air suddenly filled his lungs. His mind pieced together where he was and who he was with.

Looking down at Dora, Regulus noted that she was scrutinizing him with a look that was a mixed of Andromeda and Cissia when they decided to confront Sirius and Regulus with something.

“Should I get my mum? Your hands are shaking.” The young witch pointed at his hands which were indeed shaking. He clenched and unclenched his palms.

Regulus swallowed and shook his head slowly, “I–I’m–I _will_ be fine,” the wizard looked anywhere but the pond.

At Dora’s expression, Regulus figured that the young witch did not believe him one bit. She then had a determined spark in her eyes and grabbed one of his hands.

“I forgot the ducks are gone because it’s autumn so we can hang out under my tree.”

She pulled him towards a cluster of trees that grew nearby. The leaves were a mixture of crisp golds, reds, and oranges. Most of them barely hung on their respective branches as a breeze sweep by as a few fell in a graceful dance.

The walk did not take long as they stopped in front of a grand oak tree that cause Regulus’ own breath, unlike earlier, to be taken away in awe. The wizard felt olden magic pulse outward which encompasses warmth. It was not as tall as the intimidating, towering trees of the Forbidden Forest. However, even without extensive knowledge in magical plants, Regulus knew with certainty that the tree held special magical properties.

The tree was even the complete opposite of the Whipping Willow back at Hogwarts in terms of personality. That is if trees had personalities. While the willow has the characteristics of an angry mother dragon, the oak seems to take on a wise phoenix. Being near the old oak made him feel safe and warm.

“We can cloud watch from here,” Dora stated.

Regulus watched as the young girl simply dropped to the forest floor as some of her long, golden brown hair fanned out behind her with her arms spread out wide. She stared at the ocean like sky above.

A smile twitched out the corner of his lips, though he laid down on the bed of leaves beside her.

The sky was not a typical sapphire blue that would be seen during the summer, but it a mixture of greys and blues with scattered clouds that signifies autumn. The sun itself was a pearly white against the blue grey backdrop.

“I see a puffskein,” out Regulus’ peripheral vision, Dora’s finger was pointing up.

“They all look like puffskeins,” Regulus quipped.

“Well, you got to use your imagination or we would all say every stick we come across were a wand.”

Regulus’ furrowed his eyebrows, “What sort of sensible witch or wizard would mistake a stick for a wand?”

“You’ll be surprised,” giggled Dora.

Regulus and Dora’s debates continued on till they realized the sun was at its peak. They then made their way back towards the house.

. **ooOOOoo**.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, it has been a while... 
> 
> Please don’t kill me! 
> 
> I want to write, but I’m nothing like the fantastic writers out there who plans out their stories so beautifully and write as a hobby. I just write because something pops in my head.
> 
> Now that’s done, on to my commentary:
> 
> Sirius’ scene was suppose to have more to it, but I figured that I would put it in the next chapter whenever that comes out. I have a feeling that would not be done in a year. (Sobs)
> 
> The background story on Andy and the Tonks. I didn't know that I had like Andromeda as much as I do now. She's a brilliant character with a great story. Then there’s Regulus with his brooding and angst fill thoughts. Come on Reg! You're a Slytherin! Hide it and make a plan already!
> 
> I really do love how Reg and Dora are interacting in this chapter. It builds their relationship. Gahh, the fluff!
> 
> Anyways, if my somewhat tangible story goes accordingly, in a couple of chapters there would be another large time skip then to the meat of the story. Note that I wrote ‘somewhat tangible’. I very much only have a general idea where I’m taking this and I hope it will be good.
> 
> I have a lot of ideas to I would like to play with, but I have absolutely no drive. I also hope you guys are happy because this was the longest chapter I have personally written to date. I completely rushed the last part of the story just to get this chapter finished.
> 
> Reviews, comments, critics are appreciated! ^^
> 
> ~FairyRave


	8. Let a Song Into a Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I decided to make this chapter into a new format. Enjoy!

Narrator - James and Sirius are hidden under the cloak of sneakiness on a tree.

Sirius: Stop pushing me, Prongs!

James: You stop pushing me!

Sirius: Hey!

Jame: The cloak is mine!

Sirius: Has doth spoken. My brother’s empty grave is there. *Gasp* My hated mother!

James: No, Paddy! You mustn’t do anything. We must go at once.

Sirius: Leave me to wallow in peace.

James: Nope.

Narrator - Thus both the wizs disappeared in a pop.

. **ooOOOoo**.

Narrator - Music is being played and Regulus sneaks around to find the source.

Dora:  
Hey Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better

  
Regulus: Are you singing?

Dora: Yep. Don’t disturb me. I love this song.  
Hey Jude, don't be afraid  
You were made to go out and get her  
The minute you let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better  
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain  
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders  
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool  
By making his world a little colder  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah  
Hey Jude, don't let me down  
You have found her, now go and get her  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better  
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin  
You're waiting for someone to perform with  
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do  
The movement you need is on your shoulder  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah yeah  
Hey Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her under your skin  
Then you'll begin to make it  
Better better better better better better, oh  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude

Regulus: *Speechless*

Andromeda: Lovely, simply lovely.

Ted: My little girl. *Hugs Dora*

. **ooOOOoo**.

**Author’s Note: Happy April First! (I’m sorry, but I guess this is a preview kind of thing.)**

**But seriously, I’m basically a senior in high school so I have to prepare for college and stuff. Plus I just turned 18 recently, so yay for adulthood! I have absolutely no clue what to do with this newfound milestone in my life. As for this story, I have not forgotten it. I just have not had the drive to actually write anything recently. Fear not, I’m not abandoning it. Though, I have considered going back to edit a few things in my past chapters but I have yet gone around to it. Overall, that’s my plan. I probably won’t get the chapter written out in awhile, so I can’t give a date when it will be done.**

**~FairyRave**

. **ooOOOoo**.

Hey Jude - The Beatles

  
Hey Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better

  
Hey Jude, don't be afraid  
You were made to go out and get her  
The minute you let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better

  
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain  
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders  
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool  
By making his world a little colder  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah

  
Hey Jude, don't let me down  
You have found her, now go and get her  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better

  
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin  
You're waiting for someone to perform with  
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do  
The movement you need is on your shoulder  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah yeah

  
Hey Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her under your skin  
Then you'll begin to make it  
Better better better better better better, oh

  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude  
Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude


End file.
